Soccer|Major League Soccer Suspends Referee After His Arrest for Fraud

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Major League Soccer Suspends Referee After His Arrest for Fraud

By Andrew Das

Oct. 23, 2014

A Major League Soccer referee who officiated dozens of league games over the past three seasons was suspended on Thursday after he was arrested for claiming more than $14,000 in unemployment benefits while he was employed, the league said.

The referee, Jose Carlos Rivero, was charged with two felonies earlier this month but continued to officiate games, most recently the Red Bulls’ 3-1 loss to the Columbus Crew on Sunday. The New York state police said Rivero’s arrest was the result of an investigation that also involved the state’s workers compensation board and the state’s insurance fund.

Rivero was scheduled to work as the fourth official in the Toronto-New England game on Saturday, according to the weekly assignments released by the Professional Referees Organization, which supplies the league’s officials, but has now been suspended until further notice.

“The Professional Referees Organization is fully aware of the alleged charges against Jose Carlos Rivero,” P.R.O. said in a statement Thursday night. “Mr. Rivero has been suspended with immediate effect and will be not be assigned to any further matches pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.”

Rivero, 33, has refereed more than three dozen games in M.L.S. since 2012, starting with 8 that year and 13 in 2013. He has been the referee in 17 league matches this year, including at least three as a referee or fourth official since his arrest this month.